The present invention relates to a new and improved construction of apparatus for destacking at least two stacks composed of flexible flat structures, especially sheets or printed products.
Generally speaking, the destacking apparatus for flexible flat structures of the invention is manifested by the features that a revolvingly driven roll grate arrangement forms the stack support surface of all stacks. The roll grate arrangement or roll grate moves along the base surface of the tandemly arranged stacks, and the grate rolls and the stacks are obliquely or inclinedly positioned relative to one another. Each stack has operatively associated therewith a driven separation device which is arranged below the stack support. Each separation device or separator serves to engage and downwardly pull the edge of the related lowermost flat surface structure periodically between the grate rolls. Also, there is provided a conveyor device arranged below the stacks serving to outfeed the flat structures which have been separated from the stacks.
One such type of apparatus is disclosed for instance in U.S. Pat. No. 4,127,262, granted Nov. 28, 1978 and the corresponding Swiss Pat. No. 598,106, wherein the rolls of the roll grate or grid arrangement extend at right angles to its direction of movement and the stacks are obliquely positioned with a corner directed towards such direction of movement. Below each stack there is arranged a conveyor band or belt for outfeeding the products which have been separated from the related stack. The conveyor belts are likewise obliquely positioned in accordance with the oblique or inclined positioning of the stacks, and thus, together with the direction of movement of the roll grate arrangement enclose an angle which results in a correspondingly wide construction of such equipment. Additionally, the products of the different stacks cannot be deposited upon the same conveyor belt, and, particularly, cannot be collected together.